Inuyasha
by AngelaMay234
Summary: A retelling of Cinderella, with just a few little twists.
1. Chapter 1

_I'm pretty sure this has been done before, but I really liked the idea and wanted to do something with it. And if you have any ideas for a better title, I'd sure love to hear it!_

* * *

 _"_ _We will allow you to keep that infernal instrument, half-breed,"_ the cold words twisted through his mind. _"Do not say we never showed you any kindness."_

Inuyasha sat back against the termite-scarred wall, shivering in the bitter chill. The soil of his father's grave had barely settled before his stepmother revealed her true nature, she and her son doing everything they could to make his life a living hell. They had all but ripped the fine clothes from his body, forcing him to stay in a tiny storage hut with nothing but a filthy straw mat to protect him from the dirt floor. He huddled deeper into the corner, trying to draw every scrap of warmth he could from his short, tattered kimono.

He held the erhu tightly to his chest, a gift from his father to his mother after one of his long journeys to the continent. She had excelled at playing, filling the halls of their vast manor with music. Her gift for such things was one of few traits he had inherited from her, along with her kind and quiet disposition. His long hair was silver as moonlight and soft as a fresh winter's snow, his golden eyes reflecting a shrewd intelligence. Those traits were his father's, the man's demon blood mixing with her human in their son's veins.

 _Half-breed._

He clenched his jaw, his fangs glinting in the faint glow of a small candle. It was his only source of light and warmth, the wind whistling through the cracks in the walls, blowing aside the threadbare cloth strung across the crude window he'd cut in the summer, an act he now regretted. That was the sole reason Shimatte* and Sesshomaru despised him, why they treated him even worse than their human servants. He was a disgrace to the Inu lineage, a creature that, to them, had no right to exist.

Their hatred for humans was why his father had fled from them, what led him to take the lady Izayoi for his new bride. But their idillic life had soon come to an end, as she had passed on during childbirth. He remembered hearing his father's anguished cries, the sounds mixing with those of his newborn sister. Hana hadn't lived much longer, a strange sickness taking her in the dead of night. Several years had passed before his father returned to the western lands, bringing back with him his first wife and son. At first, they had ignored Inuyasha, avoiding him as much as they could.

But now his father was also gone, stolen by the scourge of battle. Now he was no more than a lowly slave, starved and beaten, detested and demeaned. He ran his claws over the erhu's slender neck, the swirls of red ink his mother had traced over the glossy wood. Tears pooled in his eyes, his soul aching for his lost family. He longed to join them, for illness, wound or poison to steal his breath and stop his heart, but he knew Shimatte and Sesshomaru would never grant him such a privilege. They enjoyed his pain far too much.

His shaking fingers reached for the bow of their own accord, running it lightly along the strings. The faint notes had always consoled him, reminding him that kindness still existed in the world, rare though it may be. He wondered why he had been allowed to keep the treasure, when everything else left by his parents had been stolen away. Was it possible they actually enjoyed the music that flowed from it? No, it was more likely just another way they meant to torment him, as the instrument was a constant reminder of what he had lost. He cared little for that, though, taking joy from the smiles his fellow servants wore on those sparse occasions he was able to play. The fact he brought them happiness helped ease the pain; he wondered, would others feel the same?

 _I'll go to town tomorrow,_ he decided. _And let everyone hear it._

That thought in his mind, he set the erhu aside, crawling to his thin mat and slipping beneath it; the moldy straw helped little, but it was enough to lull him to sleep, a small smile on his lips.

* * *

 _*-I don't think Sesshomaru's mother has an official name, so I did what I usually do: type some words into Google translate that describe the character and see what I like. The whole word is actually "shimatte iru" and it literally translates to "closed", and going from her appearance in The Final Act, I'd say it's a good fit._


	2. Chapter 2

"Sister Kagome?"

Kagome paused in her dressing, turning to see her younger sister, Kaede. The girl was watching her worriedly, an act that had become increasingly common in recent weeks. She draped her shed kimono over her arm, sitting on the cushioned bench just beneath her wide window.

"Yes, what is it, Kaede?"

She hid most of her irritation, letting only the thinnest edge slip into her voice. Kaede shuffled in her place in the doorway, her gaze glued to her feet as she spoke.

"A-Are you sure it's wise to leave the castle?" she asked. "The war's barely over, a-and father-"

"Doesn't need to know about this," Kagome finished for her. The war had barely been that, more like a glorified temper tantrum of one of their neighboring lords. The young man had set his sights on their elder sister, Kikyo, flying into a rage when she had chosen someone else. He and his men had burst in on the wedding, nearly killing her and her intended, stopping only when he had felt the sharp stab of an arrow in his chest.

Kikyo had tossed aside the bow she'd swiped from the closest soldier, her eyes empty and cold as he'd collapsed, dying in a pool of his own blood. She had then stepped past him as if he weren't there, striding into the hall without looking back. Her new husband had quickly followed, and aside from short, infrequent messages to her sisters, there had been no word from either of them since. Kaede fingered her wide obi, pale orange and embroidered with simple swirls in a darker thread of the same color.

Kagome resumed her dressing, or rather, undressing. Despite being born into the finest family in the region, she had never grown used to the heavy, intricate kimono they were forced to wear, shedding the extra layers until just two or three remained. She ran her fingers along the thick cloth still in her arms; light blue, with broken, horizontal white bars of varying widths, a fine cherry bud pattern stitched around the collar. She had had strange dreams regarding it lately, dreams that prompted her to sneak past their father's ever-present guard and explore the large village that surrounded their castle.

"I am going now, Kaede," she brushed past her younger sister. "You can either accompany me or stay, it's your choice."

She wasn't surprised when the girl took a hesitant step forward, only to reverse the move a second later. Kagome sighed, silently thankful for her sister's choice.

"Why don't you go see Rin, then?" she asked, barely looking back. "I'm sure she could use the company."

Kaede brightened slightly at Rin's name. The servants had found the girl half-dead in their private garden, the victim of an unknown terror that had left her bloodied and broken. Even now, she remained almost mute, her eyes reflecting more sadness and fear than Kagome would have thought possible for a child her age. Even more surprising had been their father's response, saying she was to be well cared-for, treating her almost like a fourth daughter. Kaede felt she had come close to getting past Rin's wall several times, hopeful she'd be able to heal whatever was ailing the girl.

She ran off with a small nod, Kagome giving a silent sigh of relief when she disappeared around the corner. Shrugging the blue kimono on, she headed in the opposite direction, her mind once more focused on her dreams.

 _Why do I always see so much white in them,_ she wondered. _And that flash of light just before I wake up?_

* * *

Inuyasha wasn't sure what he had expected when he entered the village, many of the stares that followed him full of awe, the whispers excited. A small crowd had gathered when he'd sat against the white wall of a tea house, far enough from the door to hopefully not incur the owner's wrath. He set his erhu carefully in his lap, running his bow once along the strings before starting to play, soon getting lost in the music. It was never as rich or beautiful as his mother's, at least not to his ears, but the people surrounding him seemed entranced by it.

He focused on how the sounds melted in the air, warmth spreading through his body as he thought of her smile, small, but happy just the same. His ear flicked at the soft sound of metal on dirt, he slitted one eye to see someone had tossed a coin in front of him, an act soon followed by others. He tried to keep the surprise from his face as he continued, biting his tongue to keep from singing as she always had. The gathered crowd lightly applauded him when the last song ended; he granted them all a rare, bright grin in return, waiting until they'd dispersed before rising to his knees to gather the coins.

It was hard to remember when the pouch at his side had last been full, the weight bumping against his leg with every step. Hanging the erhu across his back by its rope strap, he followed a symphony of sounds to the market, his eyes widening in wonder as they fell across the brightly colored stalls that lined the square, his mouth watering as the scents of roasted meats and baked goods caressed his nose. His aching stomach chose then to rumble loudly, drawing giggles from a group of young girls as they passed. Blushing, he shuffled to the nearest stall, looking up to see a large, gray-haired man scowling up at him.

"I don't sell to _half_ _-breeds,_ " he snarled angrily. "Get lost!"

Never one for confrontation, Inuyasha obeyed, stepping back and heading to another stall. Though many of the merchants shared the old man's attitude, a few eased slightly when he offered one of his coins, tossing him the crusts of bread or tougher morsels of meat their human customers hadn't wanted. When at last his hands were full, he slipped back to his spot by the teahouse, setting his meager feast in his lap, letting his mind wander as he slowly ate.

Why had so many of those people gazed at him that way? Why had the merchants been the only ones to show hatred toward him? He snapped a piece of bread, reaching up to tug one of his ears. Soft, small and perched on the crown on his head, they were able to pick up sounds from miles around, at equal times a blessing and a curse. His eyes, gold and framed by dark lashes, were much the same, allowing him to see perfectly in the darkest rooms, to catch the smallest motion in the largest crowd. Swallowing, he licked the crumbs from his thin lips, his tongue scraping along the edge of a fang.

He wasn't normal, he'd always known that, and had grown up overhearing stories from his father's guests of how most people despised beings like him. That half-demons were no better than spiders or roaches, disgusting pests to be stomped on. His parents had never thought that way, though, filling his life with warmth, laughter and love, only bringing in servants who didn't share those harmful biases. But now those days were over, all thanks to a single—

"Hey, half-breed!"

He looked up, cowering slightly as the group of men closed around him. They wore the clothes of low-class nobles, all sneering mockingly down at him. The tallest stepped forward, grabbing his torn collar and hauling the young hanyou to his toes. Other than a soft, frightened whimper, Inuyasha stayed silent, narrowing his eyes and baring his teeth. He'd been harassed by villagers before, back when he and his father had come to town when he was young. All it had taken was a small growl from the powerful demon to send them running, though they had almost always vowed to come back for him later.

"There's no one to protect your sorry hide now, half-breed," his sneer widened. He brought his fist back, chuckling coldly. "Now you're finally gonna get what your kind deserve."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes further, his hand snapping up to catch his attacker's fist. He tightened his hold, growling softly as his claws dug in. It did little to deter them, one of his friends snatching a knife from his belt, slashing their pray across the cheek. Inuyasha swiped at the wound with the back of his hand, grabbing the man's wrist and shoving him back. The one still holding him cocked a brow, the gleam in his eyes growing amused.

"So brave all of a sudden," he laughed, shaking his hand free. "This is going to be more fun than I thought."

"I'd think twice about continuing that, if I were you."

The three attackers turned, the middle one shoving Inuyasha away.

"You got lucky this time, half-breed," he sneered again. "And the second that luck runs out, your hide is ours."

The group stalked away, the last dropping a small, patched bag. Inuyasha scrambled toward it, only to have his savior kneel and grab it for him. He looked up in fear, his eyes widening as they held it out to him.

"Are you alright?"

* * *

 _My original plan was to have Inuyasha and Kagome meet as little kids, which is part of why he acts the way he does, but then I figured I might as well just have them meet as adults. After all, part of Cinderella is that they're pretty much complete strangers, right?_

 _I'm also sure that, if Inuyasha were real, he'd be saying I completely wussified him by making him a shy musician, but that's kind of what AUs are for, right?_


	3. Chapter 3

Kagome breathed deeply, smiling as the late autumn sunlight streaked across her face. She's lost track of time since sneaking from the castle, taking in all the bustling town around it had to offer. Her overprotective father would surely imprison her if he learned of her excursions, especially with the threat of war so shortly past. It amazed her she hadn't been wedded off yet, determined to take advantage of however long her freedom would last.

She reached in the small basket hanging from her wrist, taking out a sweet dumpling. It was one of several treats she had purchased at the market, gifts she intended to share with Kaede and Rin when she returned home. She took the smallest bites she could manage, wanting to make it last as long as she could. But the light bounce in her step faded when she heard the mocking laughter, anger slipping through her veins when she heard it.

"There's no one to protect your sorry hide now, half-breed," Shinichi, one of several boors vying for her hand. She followed the sound of his voice, her eyes narrowing when she saw his broad back, clad as always in canary yellow, her fist drawn back. "Now you're finally gonna get what your kind deserve."

She couldn't see his victim, her eyes widening again when his blow was cut short by a pale blur. The man to his right, leaner and dressed in dark purple, drew a dagger from the ornate black sheath at his belt, slashing at their unseen victim. A second later he was shoved away, catching himself on the edge of the wall. Shinichi laughed again, shaking his fist free.

"So brave all of a sudden," he praised mockingly. "This is going to be more fun than I thought."

Unable to take it any longer, Kagome stepped forward, her voice icy and hard.

"I'd think twice about continuing that if I were you."

The three of them turned toward her, Shinichi scowling as he shoved their pray against the wall.

"You got lucky this time, half-breed," he snapped with a sneer. "And the second the luck runs out, your hide is ours."

They stalked away, the last of them dropping a small, patched bag before following. Kagome turned back to their victim, surprised to see two pointed ears crowning a mess of snowy hair. He scrambled toward the bag, his thin, clawed hand freezing when she picked it up for him.

"Are you alright?"

He lifted his head to stare at her, his shining amber eyes wide with fear. Slowly, he took the bag from her, looking dismayed when he realized how light it was. He cowered when she took his arm, trembling as she brought them both back to their feet.

"You don't have to be afraid anymore," she assured him. She pulled her wide sleeve over her hand, gently wiping the blood from his cheek. "I'm not going to hurt you."

He stared at her a moment longer before nodding, tying the bag back to his belt. He then reached behind him, his eyes growing wider in absolute horror. She hadn't noticed the instrument strapped to his back before, frowning when she saw a side of the box was cracked, the bow broken in two.

"Oh, dear," she thought a minute, then took his hand. "Come with me, I'll see if I can find someone to fix it."

He followed without protest, a fiery blush painting his cheeks.

* * *

Kagome daintily wiped a few crumbs from her mouth, glancing over to see he'd barely touched his food. She'd brought him back to the castle, handing Kaede her basket and telling the girl to share it with Rin and their servants' children. Their cook, a grandmotherly old woman, had frowned in dismay when she'd seen her mistress's new companion, remarking that being so skinny didn't suit him, personally preparing the pair a small feast. The two of them now sat alone in the vast dining hall, Kagome doing her best to spur the silent hanyou into conversation.

"What's your name?" she questioned softly, not wanting to frighten him further. He sifted half-heartedly through his rice, picking up the smallest bite before letting the grains drop back into their porcelain bowl.

"I…Inuyasha," he kept his gaze to the floor, his voice low when he finally spoke. He nibbled on the ends of his chopsticks before sighing, setting them next to his plate. "Why did you help me?"

The question caught her off-guard, though it didn't take long to come up with a response.

"Because no one deserves to be treated that way," she said, suddenly resisting the urge to stroke his ears. _Especially when they have those adorable things sitting on their heads…_

"My name's Kagome," she went on a bit quickly, pushing the thoughts aside. "What were you doing in town today, Inuyasha?"

He turned to the erhu leaning against the wall behind him; the cook's husband had made quick work of repairing it.

"I…wanted to play," he said quietly. "For the villagers."

"I see," she took a small sip of tea. "And did they enjoy it?"

He nodded, a small smile touching his lips.

"Some people threw coins," his hand drifted to the pouch at his side. The smile fell. "But then those three came along."

She rolled her eyes.

"Shinichi and his friends seem to think their job is being as big a nuisance as possible," she lowered her voice. "Can't believe my father expected me to marry him…"

She looked up in time to see him glance away from her, his ears flicking down for a second before popping back up. His gaze had gone vacant again, as it had their short walk back to the castle. She found herself entranced by his eyes, the same shade as fresh summer honey, but there was fear and anger in them, brewing steadily behind a cautious kindness. There was also a clear nobility in the way he carried himself; the curve of his back, his chin lifted slightly.

"F-Forgive me, Inuyasha," she tried to swallow her nervousness. "But you are a lord's son, are you not?"

He finished with his small bite of noodles, his first since they'd sat down, taking a scrap of cloth from the collar of his stained robe and wiping his mouth. He sat up a fraction straighter, his eyes now shining with pride.

"I am the younger son of the Great Dog General, Touga," he said. Kagome gaped at him.

"You mean the man who single-handedly ended the last war was your father?"

Inuyasha gave a short nod. His early life had been filled with reenactments of his father's battles, his father using the playful fights to guide him in the finer points of strategizing and swordsmanship. He remembered once when Sesshomaru and Shimatte had stayed with them, shortly before childbirth had stolen his own mother, the disdainful sneers they'd worn whenever they'd caught the great demon "disgracing" himself with such things. Touga had only laughed, begging for mercy as Inuyasha and the servants' children held him down in the sun-drenched garden.

But then the last war had started, just after Touga brought his eldest son and first wife back to their manor. Five years had passed since the deaths of Izayoi and Hana, since either of them had truly been happy. He still remembered the faint tremor of fear in his father's voice, as he'd spoken with his fellow generals, when he'd learned the name of the new enemies' leader: Ryuukotsusei, a fearsome dragon from the east. The few survivors still able to walk had brought the news, delivering his father's broken armor wrapped in his white kimono, tattered and stained scarlet with blood.

Incapable of tears as many dog demons were, Shimatte had put a hand to her mouth, closing her eyes and looking away. Sesshomaru had simply sneered, saying the man's time with humans had made him weak. He'd also inquired about Touga's swords, frowning when he'd learned Tessaiga and So'unga had been shattered, that the healing Tenseiga was all that remained. Inuyasha had demanded why they hadn't used it to bring his father back, devastated to learn it was only by the blade's mercy that Touga had returned alive the first time.

The memory of that evening still haunted him, his tormented sobs echoing back to him in his dreams. Barely a day had passed before he was being thrown in the storage shed, clad in the then-oversized garment he'd worn ever since. He looked back to Kagome, who was now staring at him with tears on her cheeks. The same liquid clung to his own lashes, his claws digging into the cloth still clasped in his hand.

"My mother was the Lady Izayoi," he went on. "Of the Kawahara clan."

His ear flicked again as another small gasp left her lips.

"I remember meeting her once," she said. "She was one of the kindest people I've ever known."

Inuyasha gave a small smile.

"My father always said that was what he loved most about her."

He turned back to her, his smile fading when he saw she was still crying. She swiped at her eyes with her sleeve, clearing her throat. She opened her mouth to speak, closing it after another moment. He tilted his head, gazing at her quizzically.

"Is something wrong?" he asked softly. She shook her head.

"N-No, it's just that…" she rubbed her cheek again, giving a low sigh. She knew what she wanted to say, yet finding the words to was proving harder than she'd thought. "I just…"

She shrugged weakly, looking away.

"Never mind, i-it's nothing."


	4. Big Announcement!

You guys are going to hate me because this isn't a new chapter, but I do have a big announcement!

Me and a friend are starting a large-scale writing project to address some current issues. We'll also be starting a GoFundMe page to help raise money for the cause.

Here's how you can help, if you're interested. We're currently looking for writers who want to get published, or anyone who wants to help spread the word. All you have to do is write a romance, or at least a story that has romance in it. Full-length, novella, short story, whatever you can. They can be F/M, M/M, F/F, it doesn't matter. You'll have a year to write it, or a year to edit if you've already got something. CreateSpace, Pronoun and Amazon are the sites we chose to publish with, but your work will also be featured on other sites depending on which one you choose.

If you are interested, drop me a PM, find me on Facebook (Lindsey York, red and black dragon profile pic) or Twitter ( OneSecondSane) and let's get this party started!


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